7.00 am 18th April 2011- Changi Airport
Having spent a great 4 days in Singapore, I was happily settled in the limousine on my way to the airport. I had made a special effort to get up early to leave the hotel by 6.30am (the Limousine chauffeur Mr. Dean Ong was punctual on the dot) to be at the airport by 7.00am for my flight to Penang at 8.05 am.
As I was alighting I discovered to my horror I had left my laptop behind. Panic button activated! Mr. Dean made the decision for me by saying calmly “I will head back for it”.
I proceeded to check in at the SilkAir Counter but was advised against it as I had check in luggage and it would be troublesome if I were to change flight. Wait for confirmation of retrieval of laptop and whether it could be delivered in time for me to check in at 7.15 am latest.
Immediate priority was to contact Hotel (oh dear no telephone contact with me), so I proceeded to look for ‘ Information Counter”. I happened to sport a lady wearing an uniform (bright orangy red top and purple skirt ) and holding a tablet. She looks likely to be airport official. I approached her , told her my predicament and my need for the contact number of Marina Mandarin Hotel. She promptly access the internet, found what I wanted and connected me to the hotel using her handphone. (At this point I didn’t who she was.)
The Hotel staff was most professional and efficient and the person at the concierge knew exactly when I left the hotel in a white limousine (he even knew the car number plate!). I told him that I had left my laptop behind but I did not know where. He could look for it in the room, reception, restaurant and the concierge urgently and keep it with him for the chauffeur Mr. Dean Ong to collect it. There was no time to lose as I have to board the plane by 7.55 am at the latest. He agreed without a murmur and said he would try his best.
Ira (the airport personnel ) was in close contact with Mr. Dean Ong via the handphone. Mr. Ong by now had got hold of the laptop and was on the way back ( estimated time 15-20 mins because as luck would have it there was no traffic jam bearing in mind that 7.15am is peak time). She asked me to proceed to check in, clear immigration and wait for her at the departure gate while she waited for Mr. Ong to return. She would rushed the laptop to me at the departure gate!
Received a call from Hotel staff that my laptop (some verification on my part to make sure that it was indeed my property ) had been given to Mr. Ong.
In the meantime I was escorted by another lady in the same uniform past the immigration and to the departure gate where I duly informed the officer in charge of the situation.
Joy of joys when Ira gave me the laptop in the nick of time and I couldn’t resist giving her a bear hug.
I was the last to board the plane on scheduled time.
I am truly impressed with the honesty, kindness and efficiency of all those people involved in this little saga. What all of them did was beyond the call of duty.
I would like to put on record my sincere thanks and appreciation to all those who helped me retrieved my laptop and to return to Penang on the scheduled flight . It was important to me as I was on my way back to work and appointments could not be cancelled at such short notice.
Dr. Adele Tan
#1 by boh-liao on Saturday, 23 April 2011 - 11:55 pm
N dis is d nation, our separated Siamese twin, dat MMK n UmnoB condemned 2 b no soul, no nothing 1 compared 2 UmnoB’s M’sia, got believe or not
#2 by Taxidriver on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 12:24 am
I remenber in the early stage of Mamak’s primiership, he predicted that Singapore will have no choice but to crawl back to rejoin Malaysia. I do not see this happening in a long, long time to come given the fact that our Great Bolehland is about to become a member of the Zimbabwe Union, all thanks to UNMOB and the self-professed stateman.
#3 by sheriff singh on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 1:10 am
‘…..a lady wearing an uniform (bright orangy red top and purple skirt ) and holding a tablet.’
So who was she and what was her function? (I’d like to give her a hug too but the Missus would wallop me).
Mr Dean went back to the hotel from the airport and then back again, presumably WITHOUT payment. Great guy this fellow. I’d like to give him the hug too but the Terengganu religious officials might want to send me for their 4-days enlightening course.
So, there is still kindness in the little red dot. Things are not so bad there then. In 1Malaysia, the driver might have just driven off without a care. ‘Lu punya pasal la’.
This is what efficiency means and lead to. Pity we don’t find it here very often in Bolehland.
The people will only ask for a RCI to determine why it happened and who are responsible.
#4 by monsterball on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 1:55 am
Nothing to be surprised about.
Singaporeans are known to be honest….efficient and civic minded.
You rarely hear any visitors to S’pore complaining how dishonest S’poreans are.
But you get so much complaints from visitors coming to Malalysia.
The problem with Malaysian Govt. they always pass the buck or find excuses for all complaints and so situations got from bad to worst.
In S’pore the Authorities tolerate no nonsense and act immediately….and that’s why LKS is happy.
The chances are LKS can say goodbye to his laptop…in Malaysia…Thai .. Indon countries..and get a lecture to be more careful next time.
#5 by cemerlang on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 7:16 am
Rakyat di dahulukan. Pencapaian di utamakan. Applied. I notice the Dr title. Limousine. Five star hotel. mmmm ?
#6 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 7:59 am
There are helpful & efficient people & their opposites everywhere but as Malaysians, when we start comparing, there are probably more glaring incidences in Singapore. It is horned by decades of political culture driven by obsession with efficiency and need to maintain the cutting edge in this global competitive milieu. In terms of efficiency (including bureaucratic efficiency and relative lack of corruption), crime-free environment, clean-and-green country (you get arrested for littering, smoking or bribing traffic police) high standards of public housing, transportation, education and adherence to law & order, we are nowhere to compare, in fact we’re way at the bottom.
#7 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 8:02 am
S’pore is small place, easy to micro-manage, and apart from elitist political leadership is basically by bureaucrats supposedly selected from the best the brightest and with most merits (based on academic qualifications etc). In an attempt to glamorize the plus points there and the minuses there, we tend, too often, to ignore the downsides there – especially the arrogance of political leadership, the lack of democratic spaces for criticism of the govt in S’pore, which S’poreans there, especially the younger & eduicated, via Internet, are nudging the nanny state to liberalise. Its not all that rosy there as well. There are other downsides which those who live and work there know but we shan’t at the moment discuss them here.
#8 by waterfrontcoolie on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 8:16 am
You don’t need to stay in a 5 Star hotel to get that kind of treatment from the Taxi OPERATORS over there. The other day when the Taxi operator found that I didn’t have some loose change, he did not ask for the extra coins. Well, they have a SYSTEM set and keep it going. Here we have PLENTY of systems but all can be made flexible by the “gatekeepers” no matter where they are located; both public and even private. The mindset has been indoctrinated or affected by association for the last 30 over years, you can’t possibly change it overnight. Cronism once practised without even a second thought will permeate across the society; and everyone will spend time looking for the Connection instead of working and sweating for his keep. This doctrine is demanded as a birthright, so we are on par with John Mugabe wanting everything in the name of NATIONAL INTERESTS; otherwise hell will break loose. At the same breath, please don’t lower our MARUAH! How does that sound? Rather familiar when you meet a knife carrying mugger??
#9 by yhsiew on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 8:36 am
I wonder what could have happened if Dr. Adele Tan left his laptop in a Malaysian hotel.
#10 by k1980 on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 9:05 am
Some umno bigwig recently proclaimed “You cannot compare apples with oranges.”
Just like you cannot compare cintanegara’s black rambutans with the red ones found in rambutan trees.
#11 by undertaker888 on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 10:34 am
If Singapore was at umnos hand, it will be filthy like Johor baru. filthy umno cant do anything right except corruption. the Nkra for corruption is chugging along fine.
you want to find ‘professionalism’ in their work? Just go to klia counter and see. go visit any police station. go to tenaga and experience.
#12 by boh-liao on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 12:06 pm
We hv now a grab, grab, grab mentality, sapu semua n apa mahu, gasak lah mentality
Just go in2 any toilet, you will b lucky if it remains functional: more often than not, door knob, door latch, wall hanger, tissue roll, mirror, hand blower, light bulb, fluorescent lamp, door – all stripped n removed
#13 by tak tahan on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 12:18 pm
Why isn’t there a cheer for a big round applause from over the top hairy fruit tree.A good deeds acted with efficiency and by proffesional standard should be given priority and recognition in this occasion but not the other way round.As in bolehland-rent seeker,lazy bump,bias bugger(you mata sepet,si botol..mmm i don’t care),day n night robber,1melayu,1bumi’s jihadist,1e-mail crackpot will be showered with 6 star recognition and placed next in line to the throne to be among the elites ketuanan.Bravo! bravo! Mamamia
#14 by pluto9964 on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 12:22 pm
@#9 by yhsiew on Sunday, 24 April 2011 – 8:36 am . Dr. Adele Tan …
who is this dr adele tan pl?
#15 by Sallang on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 3:37 pm
I joined a group tour to Quilin, China some time last year. Two members of our team(husband and wife) left their two bags next to the check-in counter, thinking that the tour operator will help to check them in,but did not. When we landed in China, 3 hours later,upon checking out, made several calls to Malaysian tour agency, and LCCT lost and found department. The bags were never recovered.
These bags had passed through the X-Ray machine, before reaching the check-in counter.
So they should be cleared of explosives or any danger, yet they were never returned to the agency.
Does that ring a bell? Malaysia is Great!
#16 by Ray on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 4:03 pm
All Malaysians needs to understand Why you really need to support PR and a strong opposition PR ….>>>will be heading forward like an oppresive islamic nation eventually no more human rights and freedom.
Singaporeans ,Singapore this Little red dot stand out distinctively and progress efficiently becos of PAP leaderships is Fair ,racial equality,meritocratic and practise good investment and reform political policies(quality education system,improving living standards financially sound etc… …
while as that Malusai Bolehland so backward and ruled by an iron fist Unfair Leadership of UmnoB creates never ending so much unnecesary social econ religious injustise problems/issues hinder nation growth and suppressed the minorities races by all abusive political means.
#17 by cemerlang on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 9:29 pm
Singapore island is bigger than Penang island. Imagine if Barisan Nasional governs only Penang island ? Can she be equally well developed ? But Singapore these days is different from the old Singapore. Young Singaporeans think differently. In addition, there are many immigrants from nearby and it is a strong ally to US. You are recalling back the Singapore of old which was better because Singaporeans then were more docile. Oh ! LKY is going to stand for the next elections. Why not MM ?
#18 by Not spoon fed on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 10:17 pm
Mahathir had been criticising many times Singapore and Mr Lee Kuan Yew. With more than 2 decades of ruling Malaysia, Mahathir even could not raise the value of Ringgit and Ringgit kept on falling behind Singapore until today.
Today, Johore Bahru not only looks like a cowboy town (lawless) but also far behind Singapore. Money could hardly buy honesty. I feel safer in Singapore than JB. How good it would be if entire Malaysia would be like Singapore. It is about righteouness, leadership and honesty for the sake of country, not about creating more sexual video tapes.
The point is UMNO (a mono race based party) and Mahathir have damaged those young generation of Malay because UMNO instil fear among Malay that Chinese is taking away their right and UMNO has not properly educated those young Malay generations but UMNO also has bred corruption culture among its BN members inclduing Ling Liong Sik partly because ACA is doctored and useless.
Anti Corruption Agency is reporting to Prime Minister Dept. PM is the one controlling ACA to catch with fish in which rivers.
Penang is the first state in the history of Malaysia to have receive a praise in 2009 from Transparency International (see page 272 at http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2009/gcr2009). Penang is going toward like Singapore.
Unless change of federal government so that Pakatna could change ACA to report to parliment, otherwise, Malaysia could harly catch up with Singapore.
Also notes that highest investment received by Penang state. What does it mean? It means Pakatan is so stupid (like many others think) and Pakatan is racial. Pakatan is so stupid to return state surplus money back to her residents.
#19 by timtam on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 11:00 pm
The grass almost always look greener from the other side. The story could well be very different if she was not in that LIMO.
Yes, Singapore has come a long way. Infrastructure, systems, etc seems better. But perhaps what they have lost is greater? I am not saying Malaysia is damn good, but at least I am still proud to hold up my head up to say I am a Malaysian, even in Singapore. I still believe our people has more HEART. We just perhaps have a more “openly” corrupt system than Singapore. So perhaps it is up to us as citizens of the country to make our voices heard, and for change to happen.
Or a PM who earns a whopping S$3,870,000 a year, anyone? LOL
#20 by Taxidriver on Sunday, 24 April 2011 - 11:47 pm
In Sinkiapor you can leave your expensive shoes or slippers outside your HDB flats. Even if there is nobody at home, they will not go missing. In Malaisia, you better not leave anything outside even if you are at home. There is the difference between one country moulded by Lau Lee and the other by Mamaktir.
I heard from my Malay friends that shoes stealing is common during Friday prayers. He said nowadays people prefer to wear inexpensive slippers when they go to perform prayers. Even then it is still common for one to go back with other peoples worn-out slippers.
The above is unheard of in modern Singapore. Ask any Singaporean Muslim friend who sometimes prays in Malaysian mosques and very like he will have his own story to tell you.
#21 by raven77 on Monday, 25 April 2011 - 12:15 am
And this was the country Mahathir wanted to cut off water supply and go to war with……I mean cut off water supply !!!!!……and Mahathir was / is a doctor !!!????
#22 by dagen on Monday, 25 April 2011 - 8:29 am
Of course singaporeans knew well who he is. The great and famous malaysian opposition leader for many many decades LIM KIT SIANG.
Then again for an unknown fella like me, well lets say, I find their treatment and professionalism not lacking. Not bad actually. Better than here. And that is strange. Malays are naturally friendly. Kind too. Cant they do as well? In fact by my reckoning, they possess the ability to do better than the singaporeans. So what happened? Umnonised? Have they all? BTN-ised and hence unduly supreme-ised?
WTF. Maybe it is a case of too much rambutans. Or having oversized ones.
#23 by -e- on Monday, 25 April 2011 - 5:16 pm
in tokyo, my friend lost her cellphone while waiting for her bus. 2 weeks later the telco called up telling her that someone picked up the cellphone and returned it to the telco.
an amazing experience in japan – my friend was not a customer of this kind hearted passer-by.
in bangkok, another friend lost her wallet and her new camera while traveling. A kind hearted picked it up and contact her through facebook and returned them to her.
an amazing experience in thailand – my friend was not a customer of this nice person
in terengganu, another friend walking on the street could not find public transport. a car stop in front and invite him for a ride.
an amazing experience in malaysia – my friend was not a customer of this driver.
#24 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Wednesday, 27 April 2011 - 4:48 pm
Yes, Singapore’s PM earns a whopping S$3,870,000 million a year.
In contrast, Malaysia’s PM earns only, say, RM250,000 a year (not sure about the actual amount). But pray, tell me, how much does he make a year? How much per multi-billion ringgit deal?